She Stoops to Conquer

She Stoops to Conquer (1773) is a comedy in two acts by Irish playwright Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774)[1].

The original text

First performed in in London at Covent Garden Theatre on 15 March 1773. Still regularly performed today.

Performance history in South Africa

1807: First performed in South Africa at the Garrison Theatre in Cape Town on the 20th of June, accompanied by a one-act version of Foote's farce Taste. . The company included Captain Frazer, Mr Morgan and Captain Collins and the production was managed by Mr Morgan, who also read a prologue written for the occasion by Captain Frazer, who in turn sang a song he had written (in character as Lady "Pentweazle" in ), while Captain Collins read an epilogue he had written. According to F.C.L. Bosman (1928: p. 70)[2] these pieces are the oldest extant remnants of local theatrical writing (though not, he emphasizes, the earliest piece of written text or performance text, since there are records of earlier indigenous performances, prologues and even texts - e.g. Mrs Somers's prologue to a performance of Foote's Taste in 1800).

1818: Done in 1818 by the Gentlemen Amateurs with the help of Mr Cooke and his company of ladies, in the African Theatre, Cape Town on 16 May (with The Poor Soldier by O'Keeffe) Repeated 27 June 1818 (with as afterpiece now Chrononthothologus by Carey).

1933: In 1933, the play was the first production by Herbert Dhlomo's Bantu Dramatic Society, playing as opening piece in the Bantu Men's Social Centre on 28 April, 1933.

1954: Presented by the National Theatre Organisation, produced by Taubie Kushlick starring Alan Chadwick, Barry Wallman, Pieter Geldenhuys, Frank Wise, Patrick Trevor, Leonard Graham, Joyce Bradley, Pamela Murray, Stephanie Shiller, Pat Simpson, Gordon Fergusson. Decor by Frank Graves, costumes by Doreen Graves, lighting by Harry Ligoff.